Growing event helps area groups in support of wounded veterans

July 22--Whether you prefer to run, crawl, dance, toss darts or just sit back and devour a great dinner, all that and more can be done this weekend all while supporting wounded veterans in the community.

The Italian Civic Club hosts the fifth annual Operation: Wounded Vetz Rock n Blues Dart Run and Crawl Spaghetti Dinner Benefit on Saturday. Doors at the ICC in Meadville open to the general public at 3:30 p.m.

Registration for the run begins at 11 a.m. at Ranz Bar & Grill, with the first bike out at noon. Registration for the crawl begins at 1:30 p.m. at Firehouse Tap & Grille, with darts starting at 2.

Tickets for the event are available at the front bar at the ICC or at the banquet hall the day of the event.

All proceeds from Saturday's event benefit local wounded veterans through organizations including the WCJ Ranch, Lilac Springs, Jack Greer Memorial Post 52 and Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing.

The combined total proceeds from the event is $39,000 over the past four years, according to Joe Frisina, the event's chairman.

"We're hoping to raise $20,000 this year alone," Frisina said. "We've been growing each year and we've had a tremendous response this year. We hope to surpass last year's total of $13,500."

Rex Nichols is a disabled veteran who has personally benefitted from funds raised for the WCJ Ranch. Nichols first went to the ranch to hunt after he returned from serving in Operation Enduring Freedom. It wasn't long before Nichols got involved by volunteering his time and efforts to help others enjoy the outdoors and the opportunity to hunt at the ranch.

Charlie Schmitz founded WCJ Ranch in Richmond Township in 1993. The ranch is a Pennsylvania nonprofit corporation that provides a regulated licensed shooting and hunting ground, free of charge to combat-disabled veterans, disabled veterans and inexperienced youth hunters. The ranch partners with the Paralyzed Veterans of America and Veterans of Foreign Wars.

"Charlie gives his heart and soul to give disabled veterans the chance to hunt at the ranch," Nichols said. "But he can't do it all by himself, so I, and lots of others, pitch in and help. It makes me feel good to help."

Nichols has seen how important fundraising is in not just maintaining the ranch but enhancing what the ranch has to offer.

"We recently used funds to buy a new hunting blind," Nichols said. "Sometimes funds are used to help veterans with other needs too."

Nichols recalled an occasion where a service dog belonging to a veteran needed care. "The ranch was able to help him pay the veterinary bill for the dog," he said.

In addition to exercising flexibility in how the ranch uses donated funds, it also doesn't insist that only disabled veterans use the facilities. Sometimes just a connection to a veteran is enough to be able to hunt at the ranch, as is the case for Daniel Christiana.

"Daniel is coming out to the ranch on Monday so we can sight in his rifle," Nichols said. "He can't use his use his hands to fire a rifle, so he blows through a tube." Christiana said he shot his first antlerless deer from 150 yards away at the ranch.

Christiana, a quadriplegic, isn't a veteran but has a family member who is. Christiana has been wheelchair bound since a dirt bike accident in 2009 left him with shattered vertebrae. He has undergone extensive hospital stays, therapy and had two embryonic stem cell treatments that resulted in an increase in movement in his upper body. None of that has affected his sense of adventure.

"I drive, work part time and this fall I'm going back to school," Christiana said. "I want to work with young people with disabilities. I'm also trying to get a track chair."

Christiana said the chair he wants would enable him to increase his mobility outdoors. "I'm pretty much stuck on smooth surfaces and pavement now," he said. "I love to be outdoors, but I want to be on the grass and dirt."

Christiana has been in touch with Trac Fabrication LLC, in Slippery Rock, in hopes of getting an all-terrain tracked wheelchair. Trac Fabrication LLC was established by cousins Ben Ridenbaugh and David Kennedy in late 2012.

The idea for the all-terrain wheelchair originated with a modification of their grandmother's wheelchair done to allow her to get around in inclement weather and literally took off from there. The all-terrain wheelchairs can be powered by gasoline or electricity and have a base that runs on a track system instead of wheels, according to Kelly Patton, office manager at Trac Fab.

Christiana said the cousins often work with wounded veterans to help them find funding to purchase the chairs. Patton said a huge portion of their track chairs are sold to wounded veterans and most of them rely on funds raised by various charities in order to purchase the chairs.

"We often see how fundraising for wounded veterans changes their lives," Patton said.

Lorri Drumm can be reached at 724-6370 or by email at lorrid@meadvilletribune.com.

Schedule of events

The Italian Civic Club, 869 Water St., Meadville hosts the Operation: Wounded Vetz event on Saturday. Doors at the ICC open to the general public at 3:30 p.m.$20 per person includes dinner entertainment and a gun raffle.

The opening ceremony will be presented by Harm Jan Huidekoper Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 2006 Color Guard and Pipe Band.

Tickets are available at the ICC at the front bar prior to the event or at the banquet hall the day of the event.

The gun raffle features 20 items, including nine guns. Drawings will be held every 15 minutes from 5 to 10 p.m. There will also be special raffles and a pick-a-prize auction.

Live entertainment will be provided by Necessary Experience and APB Reunion.

Registration for the run begins at 11 a.m. at Ranz Bar & Grill, 10950 Liberty St., Meadville, with the first bike out at noon. The cost is $20 per rider and includes dinner, entertainment and the gun raffle. The run begins at Ranz and includes stops at Blooming Valley Landscape and Supply, Creekside Bar & Grille, Sprague Farm & Brew Works, JD's Tap House and the ICC.

Registration for the crawl begins at 1:30 p.m. at Firehouse Tap & Grille, 875 Park Ave., Meadville, with darts starting at 2 p.m. The cost is $20 per walker and includes dinner, entertainment and gun raffle. The crawl begins at the Firehouse Tap & Grille and includes stops at Time Out Tavern, Chipper's Pub, Chestnut Street Pub and the ICC.

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